MILKING BY MACHINERY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 77, 27 March 1912, Page 5

MILKING BY MACHINERY.

THE “A.W.R.” AT WORK. For the past fifty years milking by machinery has engaged a great deal of attention, though it is only of comparatively late years that any really safe and serviceable milking machines lui’-o been placed on the market. The advent of the “A.W.R.,” a quite recent invention, is justified by tim claim that it represents an actual advance on the best macnines previously produced, and that .‘t eai be sold to farmers at a reasonable price. It is the invention of Mr A. W. Reid, for many years a farmer in the Stratford district, and, in addition, a practical engineer and lover of mechanical problems. It is not surprising therefore that he should have been frequently appealed to for. assistance and advice with regard to improving and perfecting a milking machine, and at length decided that there was here a field for his energies and he would follow up the subject for himself. Most important parts of a milking machine are the teat cup and the pulsator, and to these Mr Reid gave his first attention. His aim was to evolve something which would be the essence of simplicity and efficiency, and, after many experiments, the present teat cups and pulsator were perfected. In his present teat cup, -Mr Reid claims to have approached as near as possible tp the perfect cup. Besides its efficiency as a milker, the principal feature for which consideration is claimed, is the absolute ease of cleaning. In milking, simplicity ■in cleaning occupies a most important place, and in his inflation, Mr Reid appears to have “got right there” by insisting that no obstacle or corner should exist which would permit dirt to gather, and the rubber tube inside appears as an ordinary plain piece of tubing, and when the lower metal plug is removed, is quite open at both ends. He also decided that ribs of any description inside the cup were a mistake, were calculated to injure a cow’s teats, and to be, in other ways, detrimental. To imitate (as nearly as possible the action of - a calx—Nature’s method of persuading the milk to flow—he designed ai scries of angular thickenings on the outside ox the rubber, which gave a.collapse commencing at the top of the pup and working gradually to the base. The pulsator is also another r . cry admirable feature of the invention, and, like, the other parts of the machine, is simplicity itself. But, after all, the real practical test of the milking machine must he on, tho dairy farm, and it is here tliar the “A.W.R.” is a shining light and a joy to behold. In every instance whore the “A.W.R.” plant has been installed the most flattering , testimonials/ hgye beemL ece i ve d. from farmers who are glad to have their toil made lighter and their worries lessened in these difficult days of labour’s independence and scarcity. One of the most experienced dairy farmers in this district, so far as the milking' machine is concerned is Mr C. C. Coldwell, of Opunake Road, Cardiff. Mr Coldwell, for the past six years, has been milkipg by machinery, and after trying various plants has discarded them for the “A.W.R.” ’.yesterday, in company with Mr A. Fanil (who is representing the ~A .V.’. Bern Milking Machine Co Ltd .”) and others interested, a “Stratford Post” representative visited Mr Coldwell’s farm, and saw the machine at work. It was indeed a revelation of simplicity, labour-saving, and sweet running. It is truly “milking made easy,” and even the cows appeared to like the operation. The time-saving is enormous, and the visitors yesterday saw tl.-rty-two cows milked and turned one with a three-cow releaser plant with surprising celerity, and apparent 1 ? very little effort on the part of Mr Coldwell. In smiling comment on the machine’s good points, in the short intervals between changing the cups from one cow to another, Mr Coldwell gave his views of the “A. W.R.” “It works beautifully arid wo have no trouble. The whole plant is simplicity itself. A girl can do what there is to do here with ease. There is no lifting, j-ou see: the automatic releaser does all the work in carrying the milk direct to the tins.” And so tho visitors found. In addition-*— a most important point too—the milk is cooled in conveyance and must ’ reach the factory in first-class order. This method also saves the cream clotting on the night’s milk, the supplier thus benefiting by obtaining the fullest amount of butterfat which his milk contains. Mr Coldwell’s plant is driven by a threehorse “Warwick” benzine engine, and be reckons after all his experience, that his “A.W.R.” installation is the best and handiest he has ever had. The clean-down after milking is a very simple affair, but a very effective one. The milk-carrying pipes are of aluminium, the hot water necessary is produced by the oil engine in the timo necessary to milk the cows, and the vacuum pump docs the rest. With the most ordinary care the plant can’t get dirty: what more could one want? Mr R. B. Anderson is secretary to the A. W. Reid Company, and he will ho glad to give information to anyone desiring it, or to tell them where they may by personal inspection prove the efficacy of the wonderful “A.W.R.” x